Well, this has been fascinating all around. I'm gonna agree with everyone here that if all of the airlines were completely transparent, points values never changed, and everything stayed the same, there'd be no hobby. It would be like getting a paycheck every time you fly and using that paycheck next time you fly. part of the hobby is trying to predict/work with these changes and take advantage of them when they happen. It's part of the game. If you don't like the game, don't play. Of course, if you fly, you should probably still put your FF number on the ticket - you'll get some miles out of that. The companies lure you in with the promise that you'll earn something, but they don't tell you what - and that's the game, trying to find the best value for what you've earned.